If you're not comfy welding on it.
Use a Dremel or die grinder to flatten the exposed bolt
Center punch
Get a set of left hand drill bits. Start small and take your time.
The drilling will build heat which will free the bolt
By your third drill bit, it will probably come out w the drill bit
If not, have an easy out ready to go
Measure the depth of your other bolt holes and set a stop so that you don't drill too deep

Well, it's not the only process but it's the easiest and fastest for me. The first two I tried to do I center punched the bolt and drilled it out. Somewhere in the process it got into the aluminum and screwed the threads up so I had to deal with that.

The whole process too, an hour to fix. Next time I did the weld method and it only took 5 minutes.

Some people have success with a left hand drill bit, but I don't have any of those.

It seems like a LOT of weld inside the threading of the head; that's my concern. If there's no danger to the head from the molten metal, though... well, it may be a pointless worry.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LA-Sahara

I feel like you could find a small enough metal spacer like these from lowes: and weld through it to the leftover of the bolt. Then maybe a nut over that to turn it out?

That's what I was talking about when I mentioned a pin; using something hollow. I thought I might be able to keep the heat on the bolt and not let the weld ever touch the threads.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kawi358

Only issue would be the spacer might be too small to get the gun in to weld it to the bolt.

Sundowner I'm of the opinion that a very accurately drilled bolt and quality easy-out would work the best. That's what I use to get broken bolts out. I would be worried that welding a nut to the bolt would melt part of the head down resulting in more headache ( see what I did there?) If you turn the heat way down it can be done but the weld may break under the torque.

Okay, first of all, that was a bad pun... but more importantly, I kind of feel the same way about welding through the center of a hollow pin; if I had some better skillz it would probably work, but I'm more likely to screw it up. If there was any bolt showing beyond the surface of the head I think I would feel more comfortable... so maybe drilling is a better option. I don't know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CEScuzzy

Maybe you could build a jig that would force the bit to remain perpendicular to the hole and do a good center punching to keep it from wandering across the surface....or...

Marry the two plans. Drill a shallow hole in the head bolt (1/4" deep or so). Friction fit a steel dowel in the hole, then weld that to the bolt shank. weld a nut to the exposed end of the dowel and crank it out that way.

a complicated plan, yes, but it gets you out of the "broken off in the head" problem and gives you room to weld in the spacer/extension.

-Scuzz

That might work, too... but there's still going to be a lot of hot metal inside those aluminum head threads. Again, though, if that's not dangerous...

Quote:

Originally Posted by 84jeepcj7rock

If you're not comfy welding on it.
Use a Dremel or die grinder to flatten the exposed bolt
Center punch
Get a set of left hand drill bits. Start small and take your time.
The drilling will build heat which will free the bolt
By your third drill bit, it will probably come out w the drill bit
If not, have an easy out ready to go
Measure the depth of your other bolt holes and set a stop so that you don't drill too deep

I don't know that I can get anything inside there to flatten it... and if I can, it will have to be a TINY grinding die on a Dremel. Stupid bolts, breaking off where nobody can reach them...

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I've used both methods to extract studs and I personally prefer to weld a nut onto it. Use just a little super glue to hold the nut in place, it will melt when you weld. I have to do this all the time doing exhaust manifolds on new Hemi engines

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... and see what it's really going to take to build one...and then I'm going to triple that cost/time estimate and see how I feel.

Best gas milage from my Jeep to date: The time I pushed it across the lot at work.

I've used both methods to extract studs and I personally prefer to weld a nut onto it. Use just a little super glue to hold the nut in place, it will melt when you weld. I have to do this all the time doing exhaust manifolds on new Hemi engines

That's a good suggestion; I suppose I fill up the threaded cavity and get the weld up to the head surface and then glue the nut in place, yes?

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Even if you mess the first couple of threads up you can countersink the mess out, or put a helicoil in which will double the strength of you bolt. But also they come out real easy when a stud breaks off.

I'd just put the but over the hole with the glue do a quick little plugish weld and bam. Aluminum is pretty good about not messing up so if you do a relatively low setting you'll be good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDoc25

Even if you mess the first couple of threads up you can countersink the mess out, or put a helicoil in which will double the strength of you bolt. But also they come out real easy when a stud breaks off.

Messing up and/or melting the aluminium is my biggest worry; I mean, it seems like it should melt if there's molten steel directly adjacent to it. If it'll withstand the heat and liquid metal, though... well, there shouldn't be any problems. I'll look to see what I can find that's small enough to reach inside the threaded hole and clean the sheared bolt faces without smurfing up the surrounding metal.

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How about a few small nuts, small enough to fit inside the bolt hole (I am sure some of you could have come up with an inappropriate joke here...wit is not my forte)...plug weld one on top of the other. Similar to the roll pin/spacer idea but without worrying about welder reach and better grip when you go to extract.

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[QUOTE=Sundowner;13293000]Owning a Jeep of any sort is an experience rife with opportunity to expand one's knowledge...[/QUOTE]

How about a few small nuts, small enough to fit inside the bolt hole (I am sure some of you could have come up with an inappropriate joke here...wit is not my forte)...plug weld one on top of the other. Similar to the roll pin/spacer idea but without worrying about welder reach and better grip when you go to extract.

That's not a bad idea at all! Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by CEScuzzy

What manner of welder do you have, Sundowner?

Muppet Labs is currently equipped with a Miller 210; I think I've currently got .030 wire in it and 75/25 gas... but don't quote me on that.

Also - and be forewarned that this is totally unrelated - Today's Jeeping was me getting a lead on a job... so everybody needs to keep their fingers crossed, and if anyone has a spare chicken to sacrifice I'd be much appreciative; we're all out, here.

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Muppet Labs is currently equipped with a Miller 210; I think I've currently got .030 wire in it and 75/25 gas...

The things I could do with something like that...
Now if I only had the cash for a set of unibody stiffeners...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sundowner

...but don't quote me on that.

I did anyway...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sundowner

Also - and be forewarned that this is totally unrelated - Today's Jeeping was me getting a lead on a job... so everybody needs to keep their fingers crossed, and if anyone has a spare chicken to sacrifice I'd be much appreciative; we're all out, here.

You've got my support. I hate job hunting, so here's to hoping that your job hunt has come to a successful close

I'll buy you a beer if you get the job, and two if you don't.

-Scuzz

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You've got my support. I hate job hunting, so here's to hoping that your job hunt has come to a successful close

I'll buy you a beer if you get the job, and two if you don't.

I'll take that deal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mulvihill64

I'm fresh out of chickens, but how far would a monkey sacrifice get me

I don't know, honestly; I mean, we sacrifice monkeys constantly around here and there's no measurable impact that we've been able to document...and we keep meticulous documents. This tells me that monkeys have no value whatsoever, aside from their obvious use as pre-killed scientific testing material.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 91AzXJ

Break a leg and then get the job!

The funny part is that I'm ridiculously well-qualified for the position...which means that I'm almost sure to not get it.

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